


Five senses

by MapleSheep



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Relationship(s), Slice of Life, Smut, five senses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-01
Updated: 2016-07-16
Packaged: 2018-07-19 11:50:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7360195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MapleSheep/pseuds/MapleSheep
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The evolution of three relationships over time through the five senses. Each chapter will focus on a different moment for one of the three couples; it'll alternate between them, starting with Kenhina, followed by Daisuga, then Bokuro. (currently on holidays, will resume updating this in september!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Kenhina: Sight

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to try and challenge myself by writing about my three favorite ships, all focusing on a specific sense during some aspect/time of their relationship.  
> While the Haikyuu characters may still be underaged at the beginning of their relationship, they definitely are adults by the time smut happens.  
> And there will be smut, only in later chapters.

Ah. He was lost now wasn't he ? Hinata was looking around himself, an odd feeling settling in the pit of his stomach as he noticed none of his team mates were in sight. That was kind of bad ; they'd gone for a run together and now he had worked himself up and ran with all his might- only to lose everyone else somewhere behind. He definitely couldn't see any of them any more.

That feeling of slight guilt vanished quickly enough though ; looking a littler further up a street, the young man noticed someone. From what he could see, it was a guy around his age, who stood out mostly due to his odd coloured hair. Being of a curious and friendly nature, it was only normal for Hinata to walk up to him and say hi. Well more like, ran up to the guy and asking him questions, but those were minute details that nobody cared about.

The other boy- Kenma Kozume, he'd admitted after a bit of prying- looked kind of shy and awkward, but that never stopped Hinata before, who simply talked to him as naturally as possible, asking questions and making himself comfortable by his side. It hadn't taken long for Hinata to spot the volley shoes, happily exclaiming about it before talking all about his favourite sport. Most other people wouldn't have let their eyes roam so freely around other people like that, though again, Hinata's ideas of what was socially acceptable was a bit different from most people's.

It was also when he mentioned said favorite sport that he first got a good look at the other boy's face. He had looked up to him silently, facing him fully, his eyes a bit wide, probably in surprise. It had lasted a second at most before he turned his eyes back down, but still, it had felt like the first time he really reached the other boy. He had gorgeous eyes really, odd ones. They're like cat's eyes, and gold, and really pretty.

Hinata kind of wanted to see his face a little more again, but sadly there were always hair in the way, or his eyes were looking at everything but him. It was something he didn't really get, as he tended to always be pretty straight-forward himself. And stare at people's faces, or try to, like right now.

The second time they locked eyes, there was a form of intensity there ; Kenma, who'd just said he didn't really care about volleyball, had this sort of unmistakable fire in his eyes when he announced his team was strong. It had sent shivers down his spine, and had made him feel like there was some sort of connection there; a rivalry of sort maybe. He didn't really know what it was, but he definitely had enjoyed staring right in those determined eyes. 

Then the other boy had left when his friend came to find him, and Hinata had realised he'd completely forgotten he was meant to be on a run with his team. He'd promptly forgotten the encounter, even though a small feeling lingered.


	2. Daisuga-Touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi meeting Suga, which turns out to be somewhat embarrassing to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad this got a nice reception so far, hopefully my take on the daisuga relationship will be liked too :)  
> I'll post the bokuro chapter soon too. I'm hoping to alternate between the relationships when posting the chapters too!

It was thrilling really, finally being able to join a great team like Karasuno's. Sure, as a first year, Daichi didn't expect to play much just yet, but he'd definitely work to become a regular as soon as possible. In the meantime, there were two other guys his age in the gym, one looking pretty shy and awkward while the other seemed to share his enthusiasm. 

They didn't have much time to mingle yet though; as soon as their seniors were done introducing themselves, they had to stretch. The floor under him was made of hard wood, it wasn't the most comfortable; his fingertips barely brushed against the tip of his shoes too. He really wasn't the most flexible man. It was funny to see the cheerful first year was much better at it than him, his hands firmly holding on his feet as he leaned over his legs, stretching gracefully. Which was really something, Daichi supposed he himself looked like an awkward sack of potato falling over when he was doing it.

As they started running to warm up, he could feel various different things going on; the first was his shoes, which were new, rubbing against his skin; it was uncomfortable and he just knew he'd end up with blisters. Still he pushed on, ignoring the burning feeling to his best ability, focusing on volley ball instead. The way the ball felt in his hands was always nice, it was an odd mixture of soft and rough; he had no idea what material was used to make them, but he absolutely loved it.

Later in the practice came smacking feelings; they were practising receives, and while he wasn't bad at it, catching the ball on his arms always left a bit of a red mark. The ball just smacked against his skin, not enough to be really painful but still not in a pleasant way. The same could be said of his fingertips and palms in general after practice was over; everything in him hurt, but it was a good kind of hurt really.

Just as he sat down on a bench to drink some water, another unexpected smack came upon his back. His skin stung a little from the sheer strength put there, though from the look on the culprit's face, it probably was meant to be a friendly pat on the back. Not something that knocked the air out of his lungs.

The other boy looked very friendly, giving him a grin as he wiped the sweat off his face with a towel, before sitting next to him. Their legs were touching, and he could tell the other had worked out just as much as he did; the warmth from the other's thigh was seeping through the fabric and reaching him, making him shift a little to put some distance between them. It just was too warm to be so close really.

After a bit of chatting, they'd ended up introducing each others; his hand was smaller than his, his fingers longer and slender, yet the handshake they shared was firm, and he could feel the skin wasn't soft like he'd expected; Sugawara's hand was calloused and a little rough, proof he didn't lie when he said he worked on his volley skills a lot. The handshake lingered for a little longer than it normally should have, mostly due to Daichi being lost in thought considering the texture of the other's hand in his. He quickly let go when he noticed before standing up, wincing just a little as he felt the shoes rub against his sensitive skin some more; he was fairly sure it was bleeding by now. He should probably have worn his sneakers a little before wearing them for so long during practice.

“Are you feeling alright?”  
Apparently, his wince hadn't gone unnoticed as his new friend's slightly worried voice reached his ears; a hand was now on his shoulder, warm and giving it a slight squeeze.

“Just blisters, it's nothing big really. Just annoying you know?”

The hand on his shoulder firmly pulled him, making him stumble, refrain from yelping as his shins bumped against the bench and his butt suddenly slammed down on it. Sugawara was towering over him with a small frown before bending down, removing his shoes before he had time to react. The other's hands were careful when handling his feet, but it still tickled, making him recoil, both from the uncomfortable feeling and from the general awkwardness of having another guy at his feet touching him like that.

“I'm fine, you don't need to do that, I'll take care of the blisters myself afterwards, please stand up Sugawara...”

Daichi was fairly sure he was flustered by now, he could feel the blood pumping in his cheeks; so he had a healthy blush, which was not something he enjoyed wearing on his first day in the gym, trying to show a cool side of himself.

“Call me Suga. You're bleeding, I'll go get you something for that.”

Apparently the other boy was very stubborn, as he didn't have any time to ask him to stop or anything; the hands on his feet were gone, and so was Suga, as he went to get some first aid kit from the manager. A new girl like them apparently. After the general embarrassment of bringing so much attention to himself on his first day for his bleeding feet, came the relief of gentle hands on his skin, helping him out with his injuries.

It was odd how Suga's hands, which had been pretty rough so far in their interactions, were now so gentle when tending to his small wounds. Of course Daichi's hands were working too, he wasn't about to just let the other boy tend to him alone… He actually protested it too, but nothing seemed to get the other to stop, so he simply gave up and let him.

Having someone's hands all over his ticklish and painful feet wasn't really how he'd hoped to make his first friend in high school, but life was full of surprises.


	3. Bokuro-Hearing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroo can hear Bokuto before he really meets him, and what he can hear pleases him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ended up typing this much faster than anticipated, so here we go; all three couples now have their first chapter written and posted :)  
> Next chapter will go back to Kenhina.

It was a special day for the Nekoma team today; they'd been invited to join in the Fukurodani group joint practice games. Young Kuroo Tetsurou, a first year in the volley team, was really looking forward to trying his strengths and weaknesses against new people. He wasn't a regular yet, which was normal for someone in his year really; which also meant he rarely got to participate in practice games. This time though, he would be allowed to, and show he was ready and willing to become someone the team could rely on.

As they stepped in the gym, their shoes squeaking on the polished floor, he could hear he wasn't the only enthusiastic one. There was someone else in there who was loud. Very loud. Was that a terrible pun? Kuroo couldn't help but let out a small snicker, looking around for the source of his amusement, a grin plastered on his face.

The noise maker was a guy with an improbable haircut and very owl-like features. They were already playing, and it seemed like the young man had no clues on what an indoor voice was as he kept on shouting whenever he scored a point or his team did something well. His boisterous laughter was contagious, and Kuroo couldn't help a smile whenever he heard it.

Their first match against one another showed the young man was not very good at what he did, yet showed a lot of potential; his overbearing happiness whenever he scored was counterbalanced with silent sulking whenever he failed. To be fair, most of the time the guy was silent, but whenever he got a good chance at spiking, it was a flurry of noises. A sharp intake of breath as he got ready. His feet hitting the ground as he ran up to position himself. The light squeaking of his shoes as he jumped, departing the ground, towering over Kuroo from his side of the net. The loud, fast sound of his hand smacking against the ball, quickly followed by the lighter sound of it smacking against his own hand, then usually followed just as fast by the noise of the ball hitting the ground. A happy yell, generally along the line of “hey hey hey!” or some other thing that didn't really mean anything but clearly showed how pleased he was with himself.

Kuroo on the other hand, was much quieter, not speaking up much; he'd noticed a lot of things along the game, but most of the time that went to waste as his seniors didn't really listen to him. They were still better at the game than him after all, and it was true his analysis of the game wasn't always the best. He had room to improve at least, it was how he tried to see his small lack of skills optimistically. Still, he was learning a lot, and showed he was indeed pretty good at blocking the ball- even against the other, louder guy, who's spike were pretty powerful, when he actually did them well. Definitely one to watch.

When the game ended, the young man walked up to the other one, who was apparently sulking. Extending a hand, he grinned.

“Are you a beaver? Because damn.”

The other man's eyes widened at the greeting, his face soon matching his grin as he clasped his hand in his and shook it, seemingly agreeing to the whole punny greeting thing.

“That's owl-trageous. Most people call me Bokuto here by the way.”

So apparently the animal puns were going to be mostly owl related; it worked with the other guy really. Bokuto. They'd definitely get along.  
“Knock knock.”  
Okay that kind of jokes was terrible but still, it was worth it; they were both seemingly very pleased with themselves, looking like excited kids who'd just met their new best friend. And it was probably true too.  
“Who's there?”  
“Who.”  
“Who Who?”  
“Are you an owl or something?”  
There was a small bit of silence between them before they both burst out in laughters, attracting a few curious glances. Bokuto's laugh was a wild and free one, escaping him in cascading loud noises, cut by sharp inhales that sounded like a dying whale. Nothing elegant about it, but then Kuroo's snorts weren't much better. They were definitely a good match. After taking a small while getting over the terrible joke, The young man spoke up again.  
“I'm Kuroo Tetsurou. You can call me Kuro, or Tetsurou, or whatever you'd like really.”

They soon had to separate again, not before having exchanged a few more terrible, silly jokes similar to the one they'd used to break the ice; their voices could be heard excitedly telling them through the gym's, Bokuto's especially echoing while Kuroo's was generally softed. They'd exchanged numbers and could be heard in their respective house later on that day, laughing on the phone. This had been the start of something big and definitely filled with terrible, dorky jokes.


	4. Kenhina-touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kenma never really enjoyed people being too close to him; however, when it comes to Shôyô, he doesn't mind so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems like my chapters are becoming a bit longer now; hope you all enjoy them still :) Also feel free to tell me if there's any sort of mistakes, I'd love to learn what I did wrong to get better at it!

Kenma wasn't really good at socialising. For what seemed like forever, he hadn't been able to make friends; Kuro just did that for him by having him join a volleyball team, and most of his friend group were Kuro's before his. Not that he disliked them, most of them were alright, but to be fair, they were mostly acquaintances or team mates. Not really friends.

So this strange boy who'd bumped into his life and just stayed, becoming the first friend he made all by himself, was definitely an odd occurrence. It may have been because it mostly took place over texts, or maybe because Hinata never seemed to hold it against him when he felt like he did something awkward. 

It was his first time inviting someone for a sleepover; a whole weekend stuck with a friend who wasn't Kuro was odd, but nice in a way. It was definitely different. Kenma usually didn't like being touched. It was uncomfortable, too warm or too cold, too close, he just liked having his personal space. 

Yet when Shôyô greeted him with a hug at the train station, he didn't mind. He didn't like hugs usually; they were invasive and people smelled different and it squeezed him in ways that made him feel like he couldn't escape, which was unpleasant. Yet here it was warm and loose enough for Kenma not to feel trapped; the smaller man slotted against him perfectly so there were no awkward elbows poking in his side or stomach, and it just felt safe and happy somehow. To the point he didn't stiffen up like he usually did, and instead somewhat awkwardly patted the other's back.

They made their way over to Kenma's place, Shôyô talking about all sort of things; volleyball, their surroundings, his little sister, generally everything and anything he could think of, as Kenma tried his best to answer him. If anything, he was a good listener, focusing on everything he had to say and only interjecting when needed, with interesting things to say.

The young man was slightly distracted; they were walking close, and Shôyô's hand had brushed against his a few times as they walked. It was just a small bump but it was there, and he again didn't mind it. So strange, he usually would put some distance between them, like he'd do with Lev when the other didn't understand boundaries; yet here he kind of enjoyed it and made no effort to move, instead sort of wondering if it'd happen again. It became a sort of game, trying to guess when he'd feel the other's hand against his again.

Once they'd settled in Kenma's room, Shôyô apparently very curious about everything as he reached around to take things and get a better look, running his hands along the shelves of video games and books. It was interesting to say the least, this need of his to touch stuff like that. 

“Would you like to play a game together?”  
It was rare for him to offer to share like that, and to be fair he didn't have many games that could be played with others. Still, he did have one or two, and it was a good way to pass time. Better than sitting on his bed and letting Shôyô touch everything in his room at least, it was less awkward and more normal. It was how people did sleepovers right?

Thankfully, before he really had time to worry about how normal or odd his offer was, the other boy was sitting next to him, giving him an excited grin.  
“Sure! What are we playing?”

After quickly putting in one of his few party games, Kenma had all the time in the world to appreciate how close the other was sitting. Their shoulders were touching, and he could sometime feel the other's breath in his neck when he turned to look at him to talk about what they were playing. He could feel the rigged plastic under his thumbs as he expertly manoeuvred his character around on the screen, dead set on winning. He rarely got competitive; video games were one of the only moments where he really showed his more passionate side. Volley was one too, though it rarely was obvious. Then again, there was this silly fear of his Shôyô would stop paying him attention once he fulfilled his promise to make him really excited about volleyball; so he wasn't really in a rush to show he did indeed like the sport. He didn't want to lose one of his very few friends.

The whole weekend was spent with Shôyô incredibly close; hands brushing, a hand on his back, a pat on his shoulder, their knees bumping when they sat down to eat, him gently shaking him awake in the morning, the tickling warmth of his breath against his skin as he hugged him goodbye.

And then came an awkward moment; he had to adjust to being alone again. When the embrace ended, it suddenly felt like he missed something. Shôyô was warm and ever present; reassuring, like he was keeping him from falling and anchoring him in reality, in this comfortable sort of feeling he couldn't quite describe. And now his touch was gone, he realised he didn't just not mind it; he actually loved it.

When he waved at his friend from the train platform, he realised he already missed the closeness and all the touching that had occurred. After the train departed, he reached to press his fingertips to his own cheeks; they were warm. He knew he was blushing; he'd just realised the whole craving his friend's touch thing had a bit of a meaning. He probably liked Shôyô. More than just as a friend. He had a big crush on him, actually. And now he'd have to live with himself missing his touch, craving it, and readjusting to living without the comfortable feeling of someone he trusted close to him.


	5. Daisuga- Hearing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi's laugh makes Suga realise something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ended up typing a lot so I'm posting fairly fast. I don't know if that kind of schedule really is good or anything but well, it works for now :)
> 
> (Also if anyone spots any mistakes, feel free to tell me; I'd love to improve my English!)

Sugawara Koushi's mornings were made of many little rituals; they had to be, as he was absolutely not a morning person, and he'd simply be lost without them. In his fantasies, the first thing he'd hear in the morning would be birds twitting in the trees of his small gardens; instead, it was more often the sound of the trucks coming in his alley to collect the trash, all loud beeping noises and crashing sounds. Then, after fifteen more minutes of trying desperately to grab one last wink of sleep, came the strident, ear piercing shriek of his alarm clock. Sure, he could have changed it to something nicer, since it was his cellphone's alarm. He just knew it would never be enough to really get him going if he did, so this atrocity would have to do.

He himself was fairly silent, unable to articulate any sort of intelligent thoughts so early in the morning; his mind stuck in between reality and his dreams from the last night. His feet slid on the wooden floor of his house without making much of a sound; the only hint he was in the bathroom was the sound of water gushing from the sink's tap and the soft clinking his toothbrush made when he put it back in its cup.   
Since he lived pretty close to the school, he usually walked to it; the first half of his trip was often when he started to really rejoin the world of the living. Music in his ears, usually something soft and instrumental to drown out the sound of traffic and make his mornings a bit more peaceful. He needed it to be able to deal with the whirlwind of energy that were his friends and team mates. Not that he minded it; he absolutely loved them all and felt blessed to have such nice people around him, he couldn't have asked for better really. Still, Nishinoya and Tanaka especially were sometimes a bit tiring, so taking a few minutes of peace when he could afford it was welcomed.

The classroom was also pretty quiet, the teacher's voice being the only sound worth listening to; it was monotonous, boring, and just the kind of voices that usually put him right back to sleep. Or it would, if he didn't make an effort to really listen to it. Said effort was futile as he ended up looking out the window, not paying much attention any more; they'd already gone over that material a while before, and he'd understood it well enough for him not to really care about that lesson any more. Discreetly, he took his cellphone out, texting his best friend- who was only a few seats away-,asking him about their lunch arrangements.

They usually ate together, that wasn't the problem; they still had to determine where they'd go eat and whether they wanted to take Asahi along. They usually did, but once in a while it was nice to just be the two of them after all. They rarely ever ate with the third years or first years though, oddly enough; they tended to stick together by grade for some reasons. Not that he especially minded either.

He couldn't help a small amused grin from creeping on his face as he heard Daichi jump, bumping his knee on the desk; apparently, the fact his phone had just vibrated in his pocket had really surprised him. Thankfully, his teacher hadn't noticed; Daichi's embarrassed face was all his to enjoy staring at.

Lunch couldn't come fast enough; they'd made their plans indeed, during class, on their cellphones, like the future delinquent they were. Since it was sunny enough outside, they'd decided to simply grab something and go out to sit on the grass, where they currently were; just the two of them. Asahi hadn't shown up, probably off eating with his own classmates. 

It was quiet, and much more like what he'd expected in the mornings; there were actually birds not far, and he could hear them once in a while. The atmosphere was peaceful, with a slight wind rustling up the grass blades and the leaves around them, and the hum of distant conversations. Once he was done eating, the young man let himself fall backward, just happily relaxing and laying there; they did have a few minutes before they had to go back to class. He was aware that his second year was probably the best time to enjoy himself without worries; next year they'd be the one in charge of not only the volleyball club, but also their future with tons of exams to take and all that. Now was a perfect time to live a bit more care-freely.

Just as he let out a sigh, he heard an odd noise; something buzzing. Then an awful taste. He'd managed to inhale a fly. Hurriedly sitting up, coughing and spluttering as he tried to get the offending insect out of his mouth, he heard another peculiar sound. Daichi rarely laughed like he did now, openly like that as he stared at him, half mocking him, half worried. With a small glare, Suga managed to spit out the remains of what used to be a fly.

For some reasons, the young man just couldn't stay mad though, as he too ended up smiling a little. That laugh always got him to feel all warm and happy for some reasons. His friend's warm voice- it had just changed not long ago, into something deeper, settling into what could only be described as a grown up man's voice- could be heard, saying something. Probably asking him if he was feeling alright. But Sugawara didn't really pay attention as he stared at him, suddenly realising something. He didn't just feel warm and happy “for some reasons”. His feelings for his best friend were a bit deeper than that. After being asked a second time- this time in a more worried and pressing tone, he merely smiled and nodded, laying back down. Shit that wasn't good, he'd never expected to be into men, and especially not into Daichi. Who was very unlikely to be into men too. Damn, realising in one day that you were likely in love and that it'd never lead to anything was a lot to take in.


	6. Bokuro- smell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bokuto discovers what love is through the smell of sweat and sweet victory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i feel this may not be my best one so far, but I tried to make it good anyway! Sorry if it's not on the same level as previous chapters.

Oh boy this was going to be fun. Bokuto didn't like many things as much as he liked volleyball; he was good at it, everyone told him so, and it was just the best feeling in the world. So going on a week long training camp with his friends- team mates, technically, but it was all the same- was just the best thing ever. Plus it was with other schools, he could get to show off some and stuff.

The bus ride hadn't been so pleasant; it was an old bus and, after their stop at a gas station, he just hadn't managed to get the smell of oil out of his nose. It felt like they had been stuck in the nauseating area, making him a bit pale and worrying his friends. It just wasn't a smell he enjoyed.

Thankfully, by the time they walked from the parking area to the gym, the fresh morning air had gotten him back to his normal state. He was hungry even, now that he knew the cooking club from the host school was present too; the windows to a classroom were open and they could hear girls chatting excitedly as the delicious smell of what probably was a stew reached them. He could swear there was some curry in there too. Damn, starting a game right after being sickly, then hungry wasn't the best conditions.

Still it went surprisingly well; as usual, his team relied on him just as much as he relied on them. He had tons of fun, with a few moments when he felt really down, but overall everything was pretty cool. They won most of their games, avoiding them most penalties. Not that the penalty was bad in itself, it was really just that he didn't like doing diving receives. He remembered the distinct smell of blood as he'd smashed his nose against the ground the first time he'd tried. That had been an annoying moment, rushing to find some tissues to stop the bleeding… He wasn't proud of things that happened back when he just started out. They were best forgotten.

After the actual practice games came some more practice time, though it was more about working on personal skills and all. The third years all had gone to do their practice by themselves, which left him with a few choices; he could bug his fellow second years and gather the first years to work on more stuff, or he could try to find new partners. It was kind of the point of the training camp right? Work with new people to hone your skills or something.

That said, last time he didn't do much mingling with the other teams, so he didn't know where to start. Well, he didn't do much mingling out of Kuroo. With a grin as he remembered one of his best pals was around, he walked confidently toward the gym he'd mentioned he'd be using. The young man was already in there, chatting with the first year guy with long hair. Who looked disgruntled and unwilling to play, what a shame. Kenma was the name if he recalled well, Kuroo's best friend or something.

When the other young man noticed him, he waved with a grin before walking up to him. That gave Kenma an opportunity to escape, though he didn't really pay attention.

“Yo Kuroo! Want to play with me? I want to do more training and thought maybe we could do that together. You're good at blocks right?”

It was always nice to talk to him; they shared a sense of humor and had a healthy rivalry of sort going on, which just made them both thrive to be better. When not playing, they could just share tips and ideas on how to improve their games, making it so it'd still be as fun to go against each others. Or just hang out, they did a bit of that; watching movies, playing games together, or just sitting around discussing the important things of life like what type of owl they'd be if they were owls, or wether zebras were white with black stripes or black with white stripes.

The gymnasium smelled of old feet and sweat as they played; one of the guys had removed his shoes to check if he had any injuries in a corner of the room and it had stunk the whole place up. Still, while a few people decided to go away for the night, the two friends had decided to play on, their face breaking out in constant grins while they laughed at each victory, or congratulated the other on their win. Eventually, as they were in teams of threes and rotated, they'd ended up on the same side. 

Playing alongside his friend was different than most other times; it was easy and comfortable and just plain fun. He definitely had great skills that made everything much better. They, obviously, dominated the small game, ending with a good score and a win.

They'd looked at each others and in one movement, as they celebrated their win, they'd ended up in each other's arms. Kuroo's elbow first found its way in his side, and he almost had a mouthful of Bokuto's hair, but they'd quickly corrected their position into something more comfortable. It was almost like time had stopped as Bokuto closed his eyes, his nose in his friend's neck. There was the salty smell of sweat, mixed with an odd manly smell; something like a cheap cologne, the king he'd perfectly picture having an odd name like Artic Sensations or Deep Victory. There was also the conflicting more sweet smelling shampoo, something fruity- strawberry perhaps? It was an odd contrast, like Kuroo still used a child's shampoo while also trying to wear a manly smell. He didn't know why he didn't want to let go; this was comfortable, it felt like a perfectly nice place to stay in, all warm and good smelling.   
When Kuroo removed himself from his arms with a grin and a pat to the back, leaving him there, Bokuto simply decided he'd try to do that more. Kuroo's smell was pretty odd and unique and much better than the one that made him so hungry this morning; he kind of had a craving for it now. Not that he'd eat him really, but he definitely felt something similar to that hunger.

Oh wait, he'd heard the girls from the club talk about it; wanting to hug someone because they smelled good, and wanting to see them all the time, and generally wanting to talk to them all the time and feeling like they were the best person on earth was love. Great, now all he had to do was tell him. Just not right now, because he'd be laughed off or he'd think it was related to the victory. Might as well enjoy the new feeling some as well, so not right now indeed, but maybe later. Damn this was awesome.

With that in mind, he found renewed energy to put in the game- even though it was over now, and they were meant to shower and eat dinner, he still demanded a rematch, just a last one. 

“Tomorrow Bokuto, you really need a shower, you stink.”

That was mean but then Kuroo always did like to make fun of him once in a while, and he always meant well; it was true they all needed a shower, and he'd probably end up passing out if nobody stopped him.


	7. Kenhina-smell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kenma smells of citrus fruits and it makes Hinata feel all sort of happy things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to alternate the senses I used but ended up changing my posting order early... So I have the sense of smell twice in a row. Whoops? I also ended up drawing something related, so don't be surprised at the picture present at the end of the chapter!

Another sleepover; it had become a habit for them. When they didn't have practice scheduled on weekends, they tried to see each others; it happened about every two months, which was as much as they could afford with their allowance. Visiting Kenma was always a lot of fun. Hinata knew very well he didn't really enjoy going out and taking long walks around stuff he'd seen before, but he always tried for his sake.

 

They always ended up in his room, Kenma sitting on his bed while Hinata usually nestled at the bottom of said bed, leaning against it with a controller in his hands. Apparently Kenma wasn't a big fan of multiplayer games, but had made an effort to play some with him so he wouldn't be bored or something. It was kind of very sweet of him, in its own way. The games with an option to play with a friend had multiplied in the room, which always made him feel all happy inside. It just showed he cared.

 

As he concentrated on the screen, trying to finish their mariokart race as Kenma had just passed the finish line, a sweet smell reached his nostrils. The room was slowly filling with the smell of fresh tangerine, as Kenma's fingers carefully dug in the skin of one and peeled it, the sticky juice of the fruit trickling down his fingers. He was entirely focused on the task, not noticing the curious look Hinata was giving him. It was kind of cute, seeing his entire being concentrating on a simple thing , and for some reason the smell of citrus fruits really worked well with his friend to the young man. Something about it being sweet yet subtle, and the way it filled him with a warm feeling of quiet and happiness was just similar to the way it was when he was around Kenma.

 

Remembering he was playing, he quickly looked back to the screen, barely avoiding a banana peel with his little car before getting to the finish line as well. He settled back in their routine of playing games together, this time a small smile always present on his face as he inhaled more deeply, letting himself be surrounded with the smell he strongly associated with peaceful moments.

 

Time with Kenma always did that odd thing where it felt incredibly long, yet went by incredibly fast. He enjoyed every seconds of it, but they all felt like an eternity; yet before he had the time to really do anything, it seemed his time with his friend was already over. It was how he felt about it right now, as he'd already showered and was waiting for Kenma to be done with his own shower. Sitting on his bed, he sighed before letting himself fall in the fluffy blankets; they were warm and very comfortable, enveloping him in that smell again. It was more like a lemon now, it tickled his nose a little more, reminding him of the intense look he'd seen once or twice in Kenma's eyes; more acidic, with more of a bite, something that was harder to appreciate and generally less liked than others in the same family of fruits.

 

He didn't know why he associated citrus fruits with Kenma so much, and sat back up again when he thought about it, catching himself taking deep breaths to inhale the scent that was so characteristically Kenma.

 

Just as he thought about it, the young man in question walked in the room, a towel still in his hair as he tried to rub the wetness out of them, looking at him with one of these rare small smiles before sitting next to him. Once again a smell of fruits hit him, and this time it all clicked together; the reason why he kept on associating Kenma with all those citrus fruits probably came from his shampoo, as a strong smell of lime currently surrounded him. He didn't even know how he ended up with his arms wrapped around his friend, nor did he notice he'd buried his nose in the crook of the other's neck, eyes closed as he enjoyed the bite and sweetness of lime in his nostrils. He'd simply acted on impulse, like he had a bad tendency to do.

“You smell so good Kenma, I love you.”

 

He only noticed what he'd done- and said after Kenma gently pried him off himself, giving him a questioning look, his head slightly tilted to the side and a bit of a blush on his cheeks.

 

“Shôyô, what…?”

 

It was then it really hit him; suddenly it felt just like he was about to play a big game of volleyball, as he felt sick to his stomach. His cheeks felt warm and red, and he suddenly tried to speak but nothing would come out of his lips. His mouth was all dry suddenly, like he hadn't had anything to drink for a week or something.

 

“I I mean! I mean you smell good and I like it!”

 

It was obviously not very convincing as Kenma raised an eyebrow at him, and even looked a little annoyed.

 

“Shôyô...”

 

He trailed off with a sigh, not looking very impressed with him, his tone making it obvious it was best not to lie too much here. Looking at his lap, the very distracting smell of lime still lingering around him, strong yet subtle, sweet yet with a bite, making him feel obsessed with it all… And distracting him from what was currently going on, namely suddenly confessing to his friend. He'd kept his little crush secret, and ended up blurting out he loved him, and Kenma probably didn't like him back since it was kind of weird right? Both guys and they were friends and he'd ruined it by not thinking before talking. Still, he had to be brave and set things straight. Or gay in that case.

 

“I mean I really like you and it's more than just as a friend, but it's totally cool if you don't and you can forget about it, and we can stay friends, I don't expect anything more!”

 

He grinned at the other, trying to reassure him it was really all okay, and he preferred to repress silly feelings to protect their friendship. It was better right?

 

Hinata had been so busy freaking out and thinking about how he'd ruined his friendship he'd missed all the expressions going across Kenma's face; his silence hadn't helped. The feeling of something soft against his lips, and the realisation he once more was surrounded by that smell that had been omnipresent all along this disaster made him snap back to reality. Kenma's face was right in front of his and- oh. He'd just kissed him, didn't he?

 

“It's okay, I like you too.”

 

He was all red too, and his smile was much bigger than it'd ever been before, like he was really happy. This was awesome really.

 

“...Did you borrow my shampoo though? You smell like limes. I prefer when you smell of oranges, it suits you more.”

 

Kenma didn't have much time to complain more about that though, as Hinata had decided to pull him back into a hug; he hadn't expected to feel such a warm happy feeling the day Kenma learned he liked him. Not that he'd expected for that day to ever happen to begin with. Now these sort of citrus based smells were definitely going to be his favourites.

* * *

 

  
(the illustration promised in the chapter notes :) )


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